So it’s been two years since I updated the website!
I am not going to try and remember everything that has happened in the past two years but will point you to a few things you can search out if you so desire!
Since I last updated this the band ‘The Grenaways’ decided to not continue to make music and perform in the same way we had done for many years before. The band had built a fantastic reputation and has many fantastic albums and releases from long before I was involved but it is always hard to keep that energy going and to coordinate a lineup that sometimes numbered eight on stage!
At least three different groups have come out of the band and I am playing in two of them, The Rowan Tree and Brother Sea.
To name a couple of highlights from the last couple of years, without thinking about it too much I would jump to winning the Liet International European minority language competition in 2018 as one. This was an incredible achievement for a band from Cornwall and a first in the competitions history! You can read more about The Rowan Tree’s time in the Netherlands here.
Performing with Cousin Jack’s Theatre has also given me some fantastic memories since 2017. I have continued to perform down in Mousehole each year in our mamouth run from mid December until New Years Eve, performing to sell out audiences every time. During the last two years we have toured primary schools across Cornwall as well as performing in London and then also taking Mowzer on tour to the USA and performing in Wisconsin and Minnesota. A truly fantastic experience.
I have had some wonderful gigs with Kris Lannen whether as the Brother Sea duo (check out our video of ‘September’ from a magical evening down at Caerhays beach in the music section!) or performing as the full band. We took Brother Sea on tour to Scotland in 2018 and had a truly amazing time in the Scottish Highlands, surrounded by Snow! We even took in the Six Nations at Murrayfield and then partied with the Welsh at Edinburgh Waverley - there is a video of a particularly unique version of ‘Delilah’ doing the rounds somewhere! We also released a self titled E.P in 2019 which you can find on Spotify etc.
The Rowan Tree’s project Kolar’s Gold has been a major feature of the last two years which officially ran between Feb 2019 and Feb 2020 but in reality started way before that and will never really be finished I don’t think! It turned out to be such an amazing life changing experience for everyone involved. We created an album featuring over 60 musicians from this country but also India, including choirs here and there, a brass band, shanty group, Indian instrumentalists and vocalists and of course us lot! Head to The Rowan Tree’s website to read blogs about the process and to search through the wealth of information there! You can also check out when we were interviewed and played live on Spotlight news!
In September 2019 we were given an award from the Cornish Gorsedh for our ‘outstanding contribution to Cornish music’. Kolar’s Gold has also contributed and significantly changed the current knowledge and awareness of Cornish emigration and the Cornish diaspora which is something to really be proud of.
I was also awarded an individual award from the Gorsedh for promoting Kernow through music which was very humbling to be recognised for the different projects I have been involved in over the past years.
One final highlight to mention is the writing, recording and production of ‘Harbour Walls’ for Children’s Hospice South West. This was a project asking the staff what the word harbour means to them, what is special about our work, and what would we want to say to someone we loved who had died if we had the chance. I took their answers and then transformed them into our song which we then recorded with the kindness and expertise of Phil Innes . Kris Lannen filmed the process with the help of our good friend Max De Franco and then put together a wonderful promo video and then full video for the song.
The song is available to buy here. the promo with explanation can be watched in the Music section of this website and the full version below.
There will be many things I have not mentioned but thought I would keep it fairly short and mention a few highlights! I will try to add more news before 2022!
All the best,
Richard
